A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…

Use 1. To reprove the sinful vanity that is in that Proverb, A young Saint and an old Devil; for if St. John acknowledge it as a great matter, I write unto you Babes, because you know the Father, then surely it is no ill presage of their future miscarriage, because they begin to have the knowledge of God; no, it is a sign that in old age they will know him that was from the beginning; nay rather on the contrary, if he be a young Devil, it is likely he will prove worse, a young Devil an old Beelzebub, but a young Saint an old Angel; you do not use to think that it will make a vessel fusty if you season it well at the fist; so if a Child be well seasoned at the first, he will keep a good savour to his old age; a straight twig makes a straight tree, so if a Child be well set, and straight in Child-hood, he will grow more strong and compact when he is elder. Our Saviour was much moved, when they forbade little Children to be brought unto him, and when the chief Priests and the Scribes took it ill, that the Children cried out after Christ, Hosanna, thou Son of David, he told them it was written, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise, Mat. 21.15. therefore let not such a Proverb pass, if they prove old Devils they were never young Saints, but young Hypocrites it may be.

Ʋse 1. To reprove the sinfull vanity that is in that Proverb, A young Saint and an old Devil; for if St. John acknowledge it as a great matter, I write unto you Babes, because you know the Father, then surely it is no ill presage of their future miscarriage, because they begin to have the knowledge of God; no, it is a sign that in old age they will know him that was from the beginning; nay rather on the contrary, if he be a young Devill, it is likely he will prove worse, a young Devill an old Belzebub, but a young Saint an old Angel; you doe not use to think that it will make a vessell fusty if you season it well at the fi st; so if a Childe be well seasoned at the first, he will keep a good savour to his old age; a straight twig makes a straight tree, so if a Childe be well set, and straight in Childe-hood, he will grow more strong and compact when he is elder. Our Saviour was much moved, when they forbad little Children to be brought unto him, and when the chiefe Priests and the Scribes took it ill, that the Children cryed out after Christ, Hosannah, thou Son of David, he told them it was written, Out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise,